This invention relates generally to integrated circuits and more particularly to anti-fuse structures for field programmable gate arrays, programmable read-only memories (PROMS) and the like.
Field programmable gate arrays include a large number of logic elements, such as AND gates and OR gates, which can be selectively coupled together by means of fuses or anti-fuses to perform user designed functions. An unprogrammed fuse-type gate array is programmed by selectively blowing fuses within the device, while an unprogrammed anti-fuse type gate array is programmed by causing selected anti-fuses to become conductive.
There are many types of PROMS including standard, write-once PROMS, erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMS), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMS) etc. A PROM usually comprises an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns which can be programmed to store user data. PROMS are typically fuse-type devices.
Fuses for field programmable gate arrays, PROMS and the like are typically made from a titanium-tungsten (TiW) alloy and are shaped somewhat like a bow-tie having a narrow, central neck and wide ends. The neck of the fuse is typically about 2 microns wide, while the ends of the fuse are typically about 6 microns wide. When a sufficiently high voltage (usually on the order of 10 volts d.c.) is applied to the fuse, the current flowing through the fuse will cause it to heat-up and will eventually melt the fuse at its neck, thereby "blowing" the fuse.
Anti-fuses include a material which initially has a high resistance but which can be converted into a low resistance material by the application of a programming voltage. For example, amorphous silicon, which has an intrinsic resistivity of approximately 1 megohms-cm, can be fashioned into 1 micron wide link vias having a resistance of approximately 1-2 gigohms. These link vias can then be melted and recrystallized by the application of a programming voltage in the range of 10-12 volts d.c. to form link vias having a resistance less than 200 ohms. These low resistance vias can couple together logic elements of a field programmable gate array so that the gate array will perform user-desired functions, or can serve as memory cells of a PROM.
Fuses in electronic devices are much more prevalent today than anti-fuses because they are easier to manufacture and have a better record of reliability. A problem with anti-fuses is that the anti-fuse material tends to have imperfections, such as creases known as "cusps", which can result in the failure of the anti-fuse structure. Unfortunately, even one bad fuse or anti-fuse structure in a device is often sufficient to render the entire device defective.
A problem encountered in making anti-fuses is that the typical anti-fuse material, amorphous silicon, is somewhat delicate. For example, it has been found that if aluminum is permitted to contact amorphous silicon that it will diffuse into the silicon, thereby lowering the resistance of the silicon to the point where an anti-fuse structure might appear to have been programmed even if it had not been. Also, after the amorphous silicon is deposited it can be attacked and degraded by subsequent etch and deposition steps, possibly resulting in lower yields of functioning devices.
A further negative characteristic of prior art anti-fuse structures is that they tend to have a rather wide distribution of programming voltages because of the aforementioned problems. For example, in the prior art some anti-fuse structures in an array might be programmed at as low as 8.5 volts d.c., while other anti-fuse structures would require as much as 11 volts d.c. for programming. This wide distribution of programming voltages increases the complexity of determining appropriate programming parameters for the anti-fuse array.
Despite the difficulty in manufacturing anti-fuse structures and their relative lack of reliability, they do have the very desirable feature of being small in size. For example, a TiW fuse with a 2 micron neck and 6 micron end widths permits approximately 4,000 fuses to be provided on a typical device. In contrast, a 1 or 1.2 micron diameter anti-fuse via permits 80,000-100,000 fuses to be provided on a single device. Therefore, anti-fuses have the potentiality of providing vastly greater numbers of interconnections or of storing much greater amounts of information that devices using fuse technology.